Woods Remains Solid

Dan Greenspan

06/17/2010

"When I first heard it, I reacted kind of bad. I was just like panicking. I had been waiting a long time, but when it happened, I was like shocked. I couldn't believe it." After a few days to reassess the situation, however, Woods remains committed to the Trojans.

Like everyone else, Woodland Hills (Calif.) Taft defensive tackle Antwaun Woods was considering the worst when the initial reports of a two-year bowl ban and significant scholarship reductions against USC first began to leak last Wednesday.

"I was thinking death penalty when they got two years," said Woods, the No. 5 rated DT by Scout.com. "I knew they wasn't going to get it, but it was just like going through my mind, ‘what if they get it?'

Woods was the first player to verbally commit to the Class of 2011. That pledge was tested.

"When I first heard it, I reacted kind of bad. I was just like panicking. I had been waiting a long time, but when it happened, I was like shocked. I couldn't believe it."

After a few days to reassess the situation, however, Woods remains committed to the Trojans.

"I talked to Coach O. He told me what happened and just to stay strong with what's going on. So I told him, ‘alright, I'm cool with it.'

"You know, I was starting to think about other schools, but when I really sat down and think about it, it's just really one year," Woods said. "When you're a freshman in college, you just worrying about playing. It's good to win and all that, but my goal as a freshman is just to get on the field.

"It only affects me for one year, so I can take that one year. It's not a big deal for me."

Wearing a USC beanie, Woods spent Wednesday afternoon at Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian with his Taft teammates as they participated in 7-on-7s. It also allowed him to spend some time with Lions receiver Jordan Payton, a 2012 USC commit.

"Me and Jordan, we talk like every week, every other day sometimes," Woods said. "I just try to have like a good bond with all the other players that are committed and going to USC. We just basically starting our team chemistry right now by communicating and recruiting other guys."